Aeroplane.



E. F. GALLAUDET.

AEROPLANEI APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1913.

1,200,097. Patented Oct. 3,191

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064 fnventori Atty E. F. GALLAUDET.

AEROPLANE.

. APPLICATION FILED JULY 25.1913.

Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

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Atty

E. F. GALLAUDET.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25. 1913.

Patented Oct. 3

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E. F. GALLAUDET.

Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

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E. F. GALLAUDET.

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TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDSON-F. GALLAUDET, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT. I

AEROPLANE.

Application filed July 25, 1913. Serial No. 781,089.

and to the means employed to control said wings and the elevating andsteering planes used in conjunction therewith.

The object of the invention is to provide an aeroplane which" can bemore perfectly kept in balance and controlled than Heretofore undervarying conditions of flight.

With this end in view one feature of my invention consists in the novelconstruction of the wings which are made flexible at their outer endsand are provided with movable tips whereby both their surface orsuperficial area and fore and aft center ofpressure can be changed.

Another feature consists in the means provided by which the operator cansimultaneously extend the tip of one wing and withdraw the tip of theother wing to differentially produce such change, both in the area andthe center of pressure of the wings,

on opposite sides of the machine.

A further feature consists in means so connecting together the flexibleouter portions of the wings on opposite sides of the machine thatvariations in the air pressure upon the wing on either side of themachine sufficient to produce a change in the flexure and consequentlyin the angle of incidence thereof will be oflset or minimized byproducing a counteracting change in the flexure and angle of incidenceof the other wing. And still another feature consists in so mounting thewings that variations in the air pressure thereon, due to changes in thespeed of the machine relative to the move ment of the air, may rock thewings about a transverse axis and thereby change the angle of incidenceof the wings as a whole, and in means so connecting the elevating planeor planes with the wings and with an operating lever that the operatormay vary the angle of incidence of the elevating plane or planes asdesired and that changes in the angle of incidence of the wings willauspecificatlon of Letters Patent.

GALLAUDET,

Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

tomatically, but subject .to the control of the operator, producecounteracting changes in the angle of incidence of the elevating planeor planes and thus neutralize or reduce to a minimum the effect of suchvariations of air pressure.

The invention also comprises certain other novel features ofconstruction, ar-

rangement, and. combination of parts ashereinafter described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

- In the accompanying drawings, which Y form a part of thisspecification and where-- in I have illustrated one specific embodimentof the several features of my invention in a flying machine of combinedmonoplane and hydro-aeroplane type, Figure 1 is a plan view of themachine with the top covering broken away on one side and some of theframework of the body omitted tobetter show the construction andoperative connections; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the bodyportion of the machine, somewhat enlarged, on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;Fig. 2 a broken detached view showing'in perspective and furtherenlarged a part of the control mechanism shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 3, anenlarged plan view of the forward end of the body and adjacent portionsof the wings of the machine, with the entire upper covering and some ofthe framework of the body removed. showing such structural and operativedetails thereof as are, necessary to an understanding of theinventi0n;,Fig. 3*" a fragmentary view showing in perspective certaindetails of the controlmechanism shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 4:, an enlargedplan view of the framework of the outer portion of a wing and themovable tip thereon; "Fig. 5, a sectional view, enlarged, on the line 55 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6,

an enlarged broken horizontal section, on

boat body B and. suitably mounted thereon, a

the Wings W W with movable tips T,

rudder R, and propellers P P. The several parts are suitably framed andthis framework is covered or inclosed in the usual or in any suitablemanner. Their construction, except as hereinafter set forth, forms nopart of the present invention.

As here illustrated each of the wings WV WV, which are alike in theirconstruction, are mounted upon a main transverse spar 10, preferably ofsteel tubing, which in turn is mounted to rotate in suitable bearings 11formed in the framework of the body of the machine, the inner fore andaft ribs 12 of the wings being fixed and the outer ribs 13 being mountedto rotate thereon. A rear transverse spar 14, which passes through theinner ribs 12 of each wing or to whichthese ribs are otherwise suitablyfixed, extends across the body of the machine through openings in thesides allowing it to move to some extent up and down around the mainspar as an axis and is yieldingly held in position by links 15, eachwith a spring 16 inserted therein, which at their lower ends are Isecured in any suitable manner to the framework of the body and at theirupper ends are fastened by straps 17 to the spar.

The elevating planes E E are hinged at their front edges to the rearedges of the fixed planes F F in any suitable manner,

' as by the hinges 18, and are provi led with the usual tillers 19. Thevertical rudder R is hinged to the stern-post of the body and chinealready described levers 20 are provided, each conveniently positionedin front of one of the two seats 21 here shown, which seats are held inposition within the body by any suitable connections (not shown) withits framework; The forked lower ends of these two levers, connectedtogether at their extreme lower ends by the pivoted link 22, are pivotedat 23 in bearings in the upper ends of the standards 24 which aremounted upon a fore and aft tubular shaft 25 which in turn is mounted torotate in bearings in the lower ends of hangers 26 secured to the underside of the seats. Rigidly mounted upon the rear end of the tubularshaft 25 is a lever 27 the lower end of which is connected by wires 28and 29 in the usual or in any suitable manner (not shown) to the ends ofthe tiller attached to the rudder R. The forked lower end of the forwardlever is connected by pivoted links 30 to a crosshead 31 on the frontend of a rod 32 which is mounted within the tubular shaft and is adaptedto reciprocate back and forth therein. A slotted head 33 on the rear endof this rod is pivoted to the outer end of a le- Ver 34 fixed upon ashaft 35 the ends of which are journaled in bearings 36 suitably mountedupon the sides of the body or each of these three-part levers areconnected formed in its framework. Fixed also to the shaft 35, one uponeach side of the lever 34, are levers 37 the upper and lower ends ofeach of which are respectively connected by wires 38 and 39 with theouter ends of the upwardly and downwardly extending arms of twothree-part levers 40' which are rotatably mounted upon the rear spar 14.The ends of the rearwardly extending arms of by pivoted links 41 to therespective ends of the forwardly extending arms of two other three-partlevers 42 each of which is pivotally mounted in a support 43 suitablysecured to an upright component 44 of the framework of the body. Theends of the upwardly extending arms of these last men tioned levers areconnected by wires 45 to the upper ends, and the ends of theirdownwardly extending arms are connected by wires 46 to the lower ends,of the tillers 19 of the elevating planes E E.

The operation of the machine and the control mechanism'heretoforedescribed is as follows: A forward thrust of either lever 20 bythe'operator will swing the elevating planes downwardly and so increasetheir angle of incidence, while a pull backward upon either lever willproduce an opposite movement of the elevating planes. In addition,whenever the air pressure upon the wings increases sufficiently thesprings inserted in the supporting links will yield and permit the wingsto rock so as to present a smaller angle of incidence; and such move-10o ment of the wings, raising the rear spar and the three-part levers4O thereon, will, provided at least the levers 20 are held stationary,raise the forwardly extending arms of the three-part levers 42 andthereby rock the elevating planes downwardly. Thus, an increase in theair pressure upon the wings, which tends to raise the nose of themachine, will automatically but subject to the control of the operatorproduce a movement of the elevating planes which will correspondinglyelevate the tail and so maintain the longitudinal equilibrium of themachine. The operator steers the machine horizontally by swinging eitherlever 20 laterally to the right or left, thereby rocking the tubularshaft 25 and swinging the rudder around in the same direction, to rightor left as the case may be.

The wing tips T T, which are substana pivotal bearing 58 formed upon theouter end of the upper lug are mounted outer and inner top plates 60 and61, of suitable material, provided respectively with circular flangedholes 62 and 63 which together form' a bearing fitting the bearing onthe lug upon which they are held by a cap 64- secured by a bolt 65 tothe core of the lug. Outer and inner bottom plates 66 and 67,corresponding j in shape to the top plates described, are similarlypivoted upon a bearing formed on the outer endof the lower lug 55 andare in like manner held in position thereon by a cap 68 and bolt 69. Theupper and lower battens plates.

70 and 71 of what may be called the main rib of the wing tip, preferablyof wood and joined together and stiffened except close to the joint by aweb 72 to which they are secured in any suitable manner, are riveted orotherwise suitably attached to the pivoted plates, the upper battenbetween the two top and the lower batten between the two bottom The twosubsidiary ribs or frame members 73 and 74 of the tip are secured in asimilar manner between suitable fingers or projections on these hingedplates.

To provide in all cases a smooth continuous upper and lower surfacecovering for the triangular space between the inner edge of each movabletip and the adjacent outer edge of the wing proper a rib ispivotallymounted intermediate the inner rib of the tip and the outer rotatablerib 75 of the wing. The upper and lower battens 76 and 77 of this rib,connected togetherby a web 78 for] the rear portion of their length, arerespectively riveted or otherwise secured at their front ends to anupper plate 79, which is pivoted upon a bearing 80 formed on the innerside of'the flanged rim of the cap 64,

and to a bottom plate 81, which is similarly pivoted upon a bearingformed on the inner side of the flanged rim of the cap 68; and therib isheld in position midway between the tip and the outer. edge of the wingby the lazy-tongs 82, which are pivoted centrally within an opening inthe web of the rib and at their. inner ends 84 to thevweb of the rib andat their on ends 85 tothe web of the 73. A thin triangular plate 86 issecured at its inner edge to the upper batten of the intermediate rib,and its. outer spring fingers 87 attached at their inner ends to theupper batten of the intermediate rib,

attached to the upper batten of the rib 75,.

slides over the plate 86 upon the spring fingers 87. Two bottom plates93 and 97, corresponding to the upper plates 86 and 91 and similarlyattached to the lower battens of the wardlypressed by spring fingers 94and 98, respectively, slide the former upon the strips 95' which areattached at their inner ends to the lower battens of the rib 73 andextend outwardly below the under surface covering of the tip underneathstrips 96 connecting the lower battens of theribs 73 and 90 and thelatter upon the spring fingers 94.

Thermovable tips of the wings are controlled by the operator by means ofright and left foot levers 100 and 113. The two right footv levers100,0ne conveniently located in front of each of the'two seats 21 hereshown, are connected to operate to- 103 suitably mounted uponthe frameof the body. The lower rear end 104 of the rear lever is connected by apivoted link 105 to the arm 107 of a bell-crank lever 106 which ispivoted at 108 to the frame of the body. 1 The other arm 109 of thisbell-crank lever is connected by apivoted link 110 to a lug 111 fixedcentrally upon the connecting rod 112.

The two leftfoot levers 113 are similarly connected, the front leverbeing pivoted at its lower end to a lug 114 secured to the flooring andoperatively connected by the intermediate rib and the rib 75 and up-'pivoted link 115 to the rear lever which is pivoted centrally upon therod 103 and connected at its lower end 116 by a pivoted link 117 withthe arm 119 of albell-crank lever 118 pivoted at 120 to the framevof thebody and connected at its other farm 121 by the pivoted lever 122 tothelugjll. The'connecting rod 112 is pivotally" connected at each end toa-link 123 which in turn is pivotally secured by thedpin. 124 betweenthe upper and lowerbattens 70 and 71 of the main rib of the tip and theplates between which these battens aresecured as heretofo're described.-For the automatic control .of the movable tips and the adjacent flexibleedge, pressed downwardly by a series of outer' portions of the twowings, each by the othe'r,'-a connecting rod 125, in. which astifi'spring 1 26isin'serted, is similarly pivoted at'each-end by means"of a short link 127, forming 'a"' universal joint, tothe for wardlyextending arm 129 of a bell-crank lever 128 which is pivoted at 130within the slotted forward end of the lug 57 carried by the knucklejoint member 53. The outwardly extending arm 131 ofthe bell-crank leveris pivoted by a universal joint link 132 to thesforward end of thelink-bar 133 the rear end of which is pivoted by a universal joint link134 to the lower end of the crank lever 135 fixed to the outer end ofthe shaft 136 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 137 formed in theflanged web 56 carried by the knuckle joint member 53. The forward endof the crank-lever 138, fixed to the inner end of the shaft 136 andextending forwardly at right angles to the crank-lever 135, is pivotallyconnected .by a link 139 to the rear end of the lever-arm 51 carried byth plug fixed to the end of the main spar.

The mechanism controlling the wing tips operates as follows: An increasein the air pressure upon the outer portion of one wing and the tipmounted thereon, the right wing W and tip T for example, tends to raisethe trailing edge of these parts and so to rock the tip and the outerrotatable ribs of the wing upon the main spar, thus producing a warpingof the outer flexible portion of this wing which decreases its angle ofincidence. Such movement of the tip and wing causes a rotation of theknuckle joint member 53 upon its hearing at the end of the spar whichraises and, because of the connection of.one of its crank levers withthe lever arm 51 rigidly mounted at the end of the'spar,

rotates in its bearing the shaft 136, and the.

rotation of this shaft, through the crank lever. 135, draws theconnecting rod 125 to .the right or outwardly toward the outer end ofthis wing. The movement of the con necting rod 125 toward the rightwing, acting through similar connections at the outer end of the leftwing W, on the opposite side of the machine, causes the rotation of ashaft corresponding to the shaft 136 and similarly mounted which, actingupon a fixed lever arm similar to the lever arm 51, draws down thisshaft and with it the trailing edge of the tip T and flexible outerportion of thewing W, warping this latter wing so as to increase itsangle of incidence. Thus the Warping of one wing, on either side of themachine, with the consequent change in its angle of incidenceautomatically produces a corresponding but opposite warping and changein the angle of incidence of the other wing. The operator, moreover, bypressing 1 down withhis foot upon either of the left .7 6- foot levers113, draws the connecting rod 112- tothe left (see Fig. 3+) and therebysimultaneously throws the right tip T outwardly and forwardly and drawsinwardly and to the rear the left tip T; and, vice versa, by

- pressing down upon either of the right foot levers 100 he can producea reverse movement of the two' wing tips. Thus, it is evident that theoperator, by working the foot levers provided, can not onlydifferentially change the surface area of the wings on opposite sides ofthe machine at or near their outer ends, where such change is mostefficient, but is also able, because of the fact that this change in thesurface area of the wings is accompanied by a differential change intheir fore and aft center of pressure, to control the angles ofincidence of the outer portions of the wings and thereby balance and, inwhole or in part, steer the machine.

Having fully explained the principle of my invention, by which I obtaina flying machine more efficient in construction and better controlledthan heretofore, it will be understood that the specific embodiment ofits several features herein shown and described and which I now considerto be the best mode in which to apply that principle can bevariouslymodified in its many details, within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a flying machine, a wing structure which is rotatable about atransverse axis and is yieldinglyheld in normal angular position, anelevating plane, and operative connections which include a hand controllever connected to the elevating plane through an intermediate levermounted.

upon the wing structure near its movable trailing edge with saidelevating plane.

3. In a flying machine, a framed wing structure comprising a main sparabout which as an axis the wing is rotatable and a rear spar by which itis yieldingly secured to the frame of the machine in normal angularposition, an elevating plane, and control means which include anoperating lever, a lever pivoted upon the rear spar of the wing andoperatively connected to the operating lever, and a third lever pivotedto a fixed part of the body of the machine and operatively connectedboth to the lever upon the spar and to the elevating plane.

4. In a flying machine, a wing structure comprising a main sparextending transversely on opposite sides of the body of the machine anda series of fore and aft ribs rotatable rib on the opposite side of thema-'.

chine.

5. In a flying machine, a wing structure comprising a main sparextending trans versely on opposite sides of the body of the machine anda series of fore and aftribs mounted on'the spar, rigidly adjacent thebody and rotatably at the outer ends, and means including a crank shaftrotatably mounted upon a vmember moving with one of the outer rotatingribs on each side of the machine and operatively connectedtto a fixedlever arm carried by the spar on each side of the machine whereby awarping of the outer portion of the wing on one side will automaticallyproduce a differential warping of the outer portion of the wing on theother side of the machine.

- 6. In a flying machine, a wing structure comprising a main wing, a tippivotally mounted at the outer end to swing laterally in the planethereof, and means including a rib pivotally mounted intermediate theouter edge of the main wing and the inner edge of the tip and maintainedin constant position relative thereto and a plurality of sliding platesfor providing at all times a smooth and continuous covering for thespace between the main wing and the tip.

7. In a flying machine, a wing structure comprising a main s ar and aseries of fore and aft ribs mounte upon the spar, rigidly at its innerand rotatably at its outer end, and a tip rotatably and pivotallymounted upon the outer end of the spar.

8. In a flying machine, a wing structure comprising a main spar and-aseries of fore and aft ribs mounted upon the spar, rigidly at its innerand rotatably at its outer end, a tip rotatably and pivotally mountedupon the outer end of the spar, and connecting means adapted to provideat all times a smooth and continuous surface covering for the spacebetween the tip and the outer rotatable rib and to hold them insubstantially like angular position upon the spar.

9. In a flying machine, a wingstructure comprisinga main wing mounted infixed position relative to the transverse axis of the machine and havinga flexible outer end portion adapted to move to varying angles ofincidence and a tip mounted at the outer end of the main wing andadapted to move therewith to varying angles of incidence" and also toswing laterally in the plane thereof to change both the surface area andthe fore andaft center of pressure of the wing.

I 10. In a flying machine, a wing structure comprising a main spar and aseries of fore and aft ribs mounted thereon, rigidly at its inner androtatably at its outer end, and so connected that the rocking of therotatable ribs upon the spar will produce a warping of the outer portionof the wing, and a tip rotatably and pivotally mounted upon the outerend of the spar adjacent the outer rotatable rib and adapted both torotate with the outer rotatable rib and to swing laterally with respectthereto to simultaneously change the surface area and the fore and aftcenter of pressure of the wing.

11. In a flying machine, a wing structure comprising a main spar and aseries of fore and aft ribs mounted thereon, rigidly at its inner androtatably at its outer end, and a tip mounted upon the outer end of thespar adjacent the outer rotatable rib and extending outwardly andrearwardly therefrom and adapted to rotate' upon the spar with the outerrotatable rib and to swing laterally upon the end of, the spar as apivot in the plane of the outer rotatable rib.

12. In a flying machine, a' wing structure comprising a main spar and aseries of fore and aft ribs mounted thereon, rigidly at its inner androtatably at its outer end, and so connected that the rocking of therotatable ribs will produce a warping of the outerportion of the wing, atip rotatably and pivotally mounted upon the outer end of the sparadjacent the outer rotatable rib thereon and extending outwardly andrearwardly from the outer end of the wing, means providing at all timesa smooth continuous surface covering between the inner edge of the tipand the adjacent outer rotatable rib of the wing and adapted on a rotarymovement of the tip to produce a corresponding rotary movement of theouter rotatable rib, and means for swinging the tip upon its pivotalbearing to simultaneously change the surface area and the fore and aftcenter of pressure of the wing. I

13. In a flying machine, a Wing structure comprising oppositelyextending wings the outer portions of which are flexible so as to becapable of being warped to present varying angles of incidence and tipsmounted one at the outer end of each Wing which are adapted to move withthe Outer ends of Y the wings to varying angles of incidence and also toswing laterally to change both.

the surface area and the fore and aft center of pressure of the wings,and control means I outer portions of which are flexible so as to becapable of being warped to present varying angles of incidence and tipsmounted one at the outer end of each wing which are adapted to move withthe outer ends of the wings to varying angles of incidence and also toswing laterally to change both the surface area and the fore and aftcenter of pressure of the wings, control means by which the operatormaysimultaneously effect an opposite lateral movement of the two tips todifferentially change the surface area and the center of pressure of theWings on opposite sides of the machine, and means rendered operative bychanges in the angle of incidence of the tip and outer portion of thewings on one side of the machine to effect difierential changes in theangle of incidence of the tip and outer portion of the wing on theopposite side of the machine.

15. In a flying machine, a wing structure comprising a main sparextending transversely on opposite sides of the body of the machine anda series of fore and aft ribs mounted on the spar, rigidly adjacent thebody and rotatably at the outer edge, and tips rotatably and pivotallymounted one upon each of the outer ends of the spar and extendingoutwardly and rearwardly from the outer rotating rib, means providing atall times a smooth continuous surface covering between the inner edge ofthe tip and the adjacent outer rotatable rib and adapted on a rotarymovement of the tip to produce a corresponding rotary movement of therib, means including a crank shaft rotatably mounted upon a membermounted to rotate with each tip and operatively con nected to a fixedlever arm carried by the spar at each end whereby a rotary movement ofthe tip on one side of the machine Will produce an opposite rotarymovement of the tip on the other side of the machine, and control meansby which the operator may simultaneously effect an opposite lateralmovement of the two tips upon their pivotal bearings to differentiallychange the surface area and the center of pressure of the wings onopposite sides of the machine.

16. In a flying machine, a wing-structure comprising a rotatable mainspar extending transversely on opposite sides of the body ofthe'machine, a series of fore and aft ribs mounted thereon, rigidlyadjacent the body and rotatably at the outer ends, and so connected thatthe rocking of the rotatable ribs will produce a warping of the outerportions of the wing structure, tips rotatably and pivotally mounted oneupon each of the outer ends of the spar adjacent the outer rotatableribthereon and extending v outwardly and rearwardly from the outer endlateral movement of each tip upon its pivotal bearing to differentiallychange the surface area and the center of pressure of the wings onopposite sides of the machine, an elevating plane, and means renderedoperative by changes in the angular position of the ribs rigidly mountedupon the spar to effect opposite changes in the angular position of theelevating plane.

17. In a flying machine, the combination of a main transverse sparmounted to rotate in the frame of the body of the machine and extendingon opposite sides thereof, a series of fore and aft ribs mounted on thesaid spar rigidly adjacent the body and rotatably at'the outer ends, arear transverse spar secured to the ribs rigidlymounted upon the mainspar and yieldingly secured to the frame of the body to hold the saidribs in normal angular position, flexible connections between both ,thefront and the rear ends of the ribs rotatably mounted upon the mainspar, tips rotatably and pivotally mounted one upon each of the outerends of the main spar adjacent the outer rotatable rib thereon andextending outwardly and rearwardly from the said rib, yieldingconnections adapted on a rotary movement of the tips to produce acorresponding rotary movement of the adjacent outer rotatable rib, meansrendered operative by the rotary movement of the tip and adjacentrotatable ribs on one side to effect an opposite rotary movement of thetip and adjacent rotatable ribs on the other side of the machine,meansby which the operator may simultaneously effect an opposite lateralmovement of each tip upon its pivotal bearing, an elevating plane, andmeans by which the operator may effect changes in the angular positionof the elevating plane. and changes in the angular position of the ribsrigidly mounted upon the main spar will subject to' control by theoperator effect opposite changes in the angular position of theelevating plane.

EDSON F. GALLAUDET. In presence of WM. B. WHITNEY, MAY FREVERT.

